Chief of Field Security Section

November 25, 2025

H (no hardship)

FamilyFamily

PR5

Professional

Reason

Regular > Regular Assignment

2025-11-11

Chief of Field Security Section

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships

The Chief of Field Security Section reports to the Director of DEPS (Division of Emergency and Programme Support). The incumbent provides advice for the implementation of security policies and procedures within UNHCR and the organization’s alternate security focal point. The incumbent leads the Field Security Section in Geneva and, through the functional line (“Green Line”), provides technical oversight and support to the field security personnel globally.

The primary activities of Field Security are aimed at providing advice and support to senior management and the field operations on security matters, providing situational and contextual analysis in support of decision-making, assisting in contingency and operational planning, supporting organizational critical incident management, ensuring a security workforce suited to the organization's needs, ensuring appropriate security policy, oversight, and governance, and ensuring that UNHCR's priorities and needs are reflected in interagency policies and practices. In accomplishing these objectives, the section works in close collaboration with field operations, the regional bureaux, the various divisions and services at headquarters as well as external stakeholders within the United Nations Security Management System (UNSMS), partner organizations, donors and member states.

All UNHCR personnel are accountable to perform their duties as reflected in their job description. They do so within their delegated authorities, in line with the regulatory framework of UNHCR which includes the UN Charter, UN Staff Regulations and Rules, UNHCR Policies and Administrative Instructions as well as relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, personnel are required to discharge their responsibilities in a manner consistent with the core, functional, cross-functional and managerial competencies and UNHCR’s core values of professionalism, integrity and respect for diversity.

Duties

• Develop and maintain organization-wide efforts to strengthen a culture of security through the provision of security advice and support that ensures a person-centred approach in security management.
• Monitor and oversee security risk management practices globally to ensure consistency with standards.
• Raise security issues to senior management that require their attention through the provision of analysis and recommend solutions.
• Maintain awareness of global security staffing requirements, working with regional bureaux and the Division of People Management (DPM) on HR-related matters to achieve solutions that meet organizational needs while helping to build a professional, agile, diverse, and inclusive security workforce.
• Work with DPM to strengthen the professional standards and requirements of the employed security workforce.
• Support the organization to ensure that security training is aligned with global needs and priorities, including the UNSMS, which focuses on security decision-makers, security personnel, and the workforce.
• Institute procedures and mechanisms to ensure appropriate organization-wide oversight of security processes and standards.
• Represent UNHCR in strategic interagency and external forums; engage regularly with sister UN agencies and United Nations Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS), partners ensuring that interagency security, policies and practices suit the organization’s needs.
• Support security incident management and security crisis management, coordinating with necessary stakeholders internally and externally to ensure the security of the workforce while recognizing the organization’s ability to operate within acceptable risk levels.
• Undertake or delegate missions to the field, recommending activities and measures for UNHCR and the UNSMS as necessary.
• Provide guidance and support on engagement with respect to civil-military coordination and humanitarian access.
• Lead risk assessments and discussions with team(s) to proactively manage risks and seize opportunities impacting objectives. Ensure that risk management principles are integrated in decision-making both at strategic and operational levels. Allocate resources for planned treatments with resource requirements in Strategic Plans. Ensure that risks are managed to acceptable levels and escalate, as needed. If a Risk Owner, designate the Risk Focal Point and certify that the annual risk review is completed and ensure that the risk register is updated during the year, as needed.
• Perform other related duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications

Years of Experience / Degree Level

For P5 - 12 years relevant experience with Undergraduate degree; or 11 years relevant experience with Graduate degree; or 10 years relevant experience with Doctorate degree

Field(s) of Education

Security Management,                       International Relations,                      Business Administration,

or other relevant field

Certificates and/or Licenses

*Security Risk Management

(Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Relevant Job Experience

Essential

Relevant work experience in a security risk management function in an international organization. Successful management of multicultural teams and incident managment. Operational experience in high risk enviroments. Experience in the implementation of person centred approach strategies.

Desirable

Training and facilitation experience. Experience in analysis, planning, civil military coordination, access and negotiation.

Functional Skills

*FS-Security Risk Management

*FS-UN/UNHCR Rules, Regulations and Guidelines on Security Management

*FS-Security Operation-Critical Incident Management

FS-Civil Military Coordination

MG-Project Management

UN-UN/UNHCR Mandate and Global Strategic Priorities

CO-Drafting and Documentation

CO-Cross-cultural communication

(Functional Skills marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Language Requirements

For International Professional and Field Service jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English.

For National Professional jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English and local language.

For General Service jobs: Knowledge of English and/or UN working language of the duty station if not English.

Competency Requirements

All jobs at UNHCR require six core competencies and may also require managerial competencies and/or cross-functional competencies. The six core competencies are listed below.

Core Competencies

Accountability

Communication

Organizational Awareness

Teamwork & Collaboration

Commitment to Continuous Learning

Client & Result Orientation

Managerial Competencies

Empowering and Building Trust

Judgement and Decision Making

Leadership

Managing Performance

Managing Resources

Strategic Planning and Vision

Cross-Functional Competencies

Negotiation and Conflict Resolution

Planning and Organizing

Political Awareness

All UNHCR workforce members must individually and collectively, contribute towards a working environment where each person feels safe, and empowered to perform their duties. This includes by demonstrating no tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse, harassment including sexual harassment, sexism, gender inequality, discrimination, and abuse of power.

As individuals and as managers, all must be proactive in preventing and responding to inappropriate conduct, support ongoing dialogue on these matters and speaking up and seeking guidance and support from relevant UNHCR resources when these issues arise.

This is a Standard Job Description for all UNHCR jobs with this job title and grade level. The Operational Context may contain additional essential and/or desirable qualifications relating to the specific operation and/or position. Any such requirements are incorporated by reference in this Job Description and will be considered for the screening, shortlisting and selection of candidates.

The candidate must have the following experience:
- Relevant work experience in a security risk management function in an international organization.
- Successful management of multicultural teams
- Experience in the management of security incidents.
- Operational experience in high risk environments.
- Experience in the implementation of person centred approach strategies.

In addition to the above the ideal candidate would also have:
- Training and facilitation experience.
- Experience in analysis, planning, civil military coordination, access and negotiation

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Operational context

Occupational Safety and Health Considerations:

To view occupational safety and health considerations for this duty station, please visit this link: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel

Nature of Position:

This position is created following the HQ restructuring and downgrading of the Field Security Service into a Section. The Field Security Section (FSS) is led by a P5 and manages two P4 units, encompassing security operational support, strategic partnerships, policy and training. The section is to be exceptionally reporting directly to the Director of DEPS, to ensure close global coverage of staff security and representation at external fora. This Section is based in Geneva and comprises 8 staff.

Living and Working Conditions:

Position is based in Geneva, with support missions to the selected Operations, as necessary.

Additional Qualifications

Skills

Bachelor of Arts: Business Administration, Bachelor of Arts: International Relations, Bachelor of Arts: Security Management

Certifications

Security Risk Management - Other

Competencies

Accountability, Client & results orientation, Commitment to continuous learning, Communication, Empowering & building trust, Judgement & decision making, Leadership, Managing performance, Managing resource, Negotiation & conflict resolution, Organizational awareness, Planning & organizing, Political awareness, Strategic planning & visions, Teamwork & collaboration

https://icsc.un.org/Home/SalaryScales

Compendium

Flash Vacancy Notice

Additional Information

This position doesn't require a functional clearance